


A More Elegant Solution

by Reptilesbian



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Established Relationship, Idk how ao3 tags work so ill leave it at this: theyre both trans but thats not very relevant here, M/M, Mentions of death and dead bodies: no detailed descriptions cause thats fucked up, Nonbinary Kurapika (Hunter X Hunter), Okay im gonna add the warnings for ch 2 now, also vauge descriptions of food, theres some unreality shit too, vauge descriptions of blood and vomiting and bugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-29 14:12:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19021564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reptilesbian/pseuds/Reptilesbian
Summary: “You’re really cute when you’re sleepy.”Kurapika looks up, “Hm?”“You act all fluffy and shit when you’ve just woken up. It’s cute,” I smile.They force a smile themself, “Uh thanks. You’re hot. All the time."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!!!! Ive never posted on here before so im probably doing this all wrong but Who Give A Shit. Uhhh the title is a lyric from Spiteful Intervention by of Montreal. I decided on the title like. Three minutes ago. Im not good with titles.  
> This is SUPPOSED to be canon compliant but like. I dont really care that much if i fuck up in that respect  
> ANYWAY im planning on this being two chapters and the second one is gonna be like. Way more worthy of warnings and i WILL put those on when i get there.  
> Gay and trans rights and please enjoy :D
> 
>  
> 
> Also check out my tumblr leorwiwo xoxoxo

“You ready to go?”

“Yes.”

Kurapika and I had just stashed all our belongings into the trunk of the rental car. We just arrived via airship in central northeastern America. Our destination is far from any airports, so we have to road trip the rest of the way. Kurapika wasn’t too happy about that prospect, but I just kissed them on the cheek and told them it was ok.

“We’ll have lots of alone time” I had said.

“We have plenty of alone time already, Leorio” they had said.

I kiss them on the cheek, and drive out of the parking lot.

We drive silently for several miles. Silence. I’m not used to that. Since we got married five years ago, Kurapika and I have harbored 3.5 rowdy children, and one not so rowdy child. I hate to leave them to their own devices, even if only for a few days, but I know they’ll be fine. The youngest, Kalluto, is 16 now.

Kurapika notices my furrowed brow, “what are you thinking about?”

“The kids. I can't believe Kalluto is 16 already.”

“Yeah… and Killua will be 19 in July.”

“Yeah…”

Silence for another few miles.

I speak up, “Gon and Killua will probably go off to live somewhere together soon, you know.”

“Oh don’t try to make me feel sadder than I already am,” Kurapika pouts, “you know as well as I do Killua will never willingly leave Alluka and Nanika.”

“Why are you sad? We’re on vacation.”

“Tch. Vacation. We're here to get a pair of scarlet eyes and that’s it.”

“Kurapika. You’re trying to heal, you’re allowed to have fun.”

“I know. It’s just hard to.”  
We drive.

~~~

“Kurapika. It's getting late, do you think we should find a motel?”

No answer. I look to my right at them and panic for a split second. They're just sleeping, but the knowledge of the shit they did to themself harbors in me the fear that they'll silently drop dead one day. And I won't be able to save them.

Looking at the bags under their closed eyes, I start to think. Kurapika always looks tired. Neither of us think the bags will ever completely go away, but they’re better than they were years ago. Years ago when they were high on revenge and eyes and spiders. Years ago when Kurapika legitimately did not care if they died, when they used emperor time.

I decide to find a motel without asking them. They look so peaceful; they hardly ever get good sleep, so I let them rest.

I pull into a tiny motel parking lot. I get out of the car as silently as possible, but I slam the door a little too hard, rousing Kurapika. Their deep brown eyes flutter open. God, their eyes are so beautiful. People say the scarlet eyes of the Kurta hold the most beautiful color possible, but I think Kurtas’ eyes are just as pretty when they’re brown.

“Are you trying to run away from me, Leorio,” Kurapika's speech is muffled through the car window.

“Under no circumstances, Kurapika,” I walk to their side of the car and open the door, “Care to join me?”

Kurapika takes my outstretched hand, “Why yes good sir.”

God, they’re so beautiful. The way the dark brown of their grown out roots blends in with the rest of their golden blonde hair is beautiful. The way the moonlight bounces off their brown skin is beautiful. The way their knee length skirt falls around their legs as they get up out of the car seat is beautiful.

Once they’re up, I give them a kiss on the cheek and put my left arm around their waist. I leave the car unlocked, and we walk into the front office and check in.

~~~

Kurapika had neatly folded today's outfit into their duffel bag, sitting it next to the bed. They’ve already changed into pajamas (short shorts and a T-shirt five sizes too big for them, they look really hot tonight, actually) and they’re standing next to me at the bathroom mirror brushing their hair out.

“How are you doing tonight, you’ve been quiet,” I ask them.

  
They frown, holding up a lock of hair, “Fine, everything’s great.”

  
“Pika,” I glare, “please be honest with me.”

  
They cringe and sigh, “sorry. Reflex.”

  
“Okay, that’s fine. How are you doing?”

  
“I guess… empty,” they set down their brush, only half done, and lean their head on my shoulder, “this place, the scenery, reminds me of where I lived, before…”

  
I pet their hair, “Okay?”

  
“It’s beautiful, but it doesn’t seem real, it's messing with my head,” they rub their cheek on my arm.

  
“I understand, thank you. Now let's just lie down and mellow out. I already checked for bedbugs.”

  
They clutch my arm, and we walk to the bed, curling up together. At home we don’t always cuddle, but there it's warm and the bed is big and you can hear the kids breathing. Here it's cold and cramped and we’re alone, so the comfort is nice.

  
~~~

  
I wake up with a cramp in my shoulder from Kurapika sleeping on me. Squinting, I glance over at the old-fashioned clock on the wall. 10:47 A.M. I place my hand on Kurapika’s back and gently shake them, “Pika,” I say

  
“Hhhhmmmmmghh?”

  
“We should get going soon.”

  
“Mmmrrrmmm okayyyy,” they rub their eyes then grab my face, rubbing my stubble with their thumbs, “kiss first.”

  
I chuckle a little, smiling into their hands “sounds great.”

  
I love Kurapika when they’re sleepy. Well, most of the time. They wake up from nightmares more often than either of us would like to admit, but when they have presumably pleasant dreams, I love it. I love the way all the worry has left their face, how I can’t sense any sadness or regret or anger in them. Sometimes I wonder if they temporarily forget everything except love.

  
Kurapika smushes their lips into mine, twisting their head slightly to the right to avoid my nose. And we’re just there for a moment, not caring enough to remember anything except love.

  
~~~

  
We check out of the motel and start driving. There’s a long way to go to reach our destination. We’re visiting the house of an old woman who claims to have a pair of scarlet eyes. She says she got them at a local auction years and years ago, before the Kurta massacre, thinking they were gemstones; they must have been poached at some other time. She said she was disgusted when she found out they were body parts and offered to give them away for free to anyone who could prove they had a familial connection to the Kurta.

  
“You’re really cute when you’re sleepy.”

  
Kurapika looks up, “Hm?”

  
“You act all fluffy and shit when you’ve just woken up. It’s cute,” I smile.

  
They force a smile themself, “Uh thanks. You’re hot. All the time.”

  
Neither of us speak for several minutes, then I frown and say, “You don’t look angry. When you’re sleepy.”

  
“Oh.”

  
“If it's not weird to ask, do you forget everything?”

  
They turn to me, furrowing their brow, “What... do you mean?”

  
“When you’re sleepy, do you forget everything that’s happened to you? Your home, Yorknew, the Black Whale, everything.”

  
Kurapika looks down, thinking, “I don’t know,” sigh, chuckle, “I can't remember if I remember.”

  
~~~

  
We approach the address the woman had given us after a full day’s driving. Currently we are driving slowly on an old, crumbly, asphalt road.

  
“The directions say to turn left here, onto the dirt road,” Kurapika instructs.

  
I nod and turn the car. After a few minutes of driving, we pull into a dirt circle drive. This place is old, and looks like a small castle, so I can assume it was once trod on by horse and carriage. Kurapika and I exit the rental car into the sunset and take a minute to just take in the scenery.

  
The huge two-storied stone house is worn and beautiful. Uncontrolled ivy crawls along the grooves in the stone, coexisting with lush, overgrown rose bushes. The lawn is unkempt and littered with colorful weeds. The centerpiece of the yard, a defunct stone fountain, holds a pool of stagnant water reddened to blood by rusty pipes. Stained glass windows tiled with patterns of red, orange, and purple complement the chipped, crimson paint on the front door. The paint chips around the floral patterned door knob and knocker, the cracks almost making an arrangement of roses and carnations themselves.

  
I hook my arm through Kurapika’s elbow, and we walk up to the doorstep. I press my finger to the doorbell, and listen to it ring out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He sucks in a sob and his voice breaks, “Well what do YOU fucking suggest?!” he wildly gestures around himself, he’s still not looking at me.
> 
> I rise up to face him again, bringing his outstretched arms to his chest with my hands. Planting a light kiss on one of his palms, I say, “Leorio, this isn’t your fault. There’s nothing you could’ve done.”
> 
> Leorio’s crying now, “Than, than what… what do I do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so i decided this is gonna be three chapters lawl. I wanted to keep the chapters about the same length so three will have better balance.  
> I havent written literally any of ch 3 yet so. That'll take me a bit
> 
> Also this chapter is from kps pov
> 
> Xoxoxoxo make sure to read the warnings in the updated tags

We wait. Leorio presses the doorbell again. We wait. Again. Wait. Again. Wait. I can feel my gut churning with an intense sense of premonition. Again. Wait.

 

“Leorio, do you think something’s wrong?”

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

“Well I am.”

 

I nudge Leorio to the left and try the door handle. The ornate ironwork is rusted with age, leaving a dusty red streak on my hand when I open it. It’s unlocked.

 

I peer inside, gasp, and quickly shut the door before Leorio can see.

 

“What is it? What’s wrong?!” He asks, frantically reaching for the handle.

 

I push his hand away, “No. No, don’t look..” I bury my face in my other hand.

 

He pushes past me, and I let him. I really, really, don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to fucking do. This is a fucking disaster. Upon opening the door himself, he gasps too, choking down a sob, and dashes in. And crouches down. Around it. Around _her_. Around the old woman’s body.

 

“Kurapika, get my briefcase out of the car,” he says quickly and shakily, checking her nonexistent pulse.

 

“Honey, she’s dead!”

 

“You don’t know that!” he turns to me, and I can see the undiluted fear and panic flowing out of him in tears. He’s shaking. What do I do?! what do I do?! Fuck! Shit! What do i do?!

 

I decide to go get the briefcase.

 

~~~

 

Two hours later he’s tried everything. He’s tried everything he knows to bring a dead woman back to life. At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if he called up Alluka for a wish.

 

“Leorio, this is getting hard to watch. Please fucking accept that she’s dead. She fell down the stairs and died. I know you know she did,” I stop my pacing next to him and put my hand on his shoulder, “I know how you feel, I’m scared too.”

 

I’m only kinda telling the truth. I’m not scared because of the woman, I’m scared for Leorio. I’m scared he’ll hurt himself to save this woman who neither of us know. No matter how hard I try, I really can’t make myself care about her.

 

Leorio sighs, “I know. I... I know she’s dead,” he raises his voice, “and it makes me feel like a useless PIECE OF SHIT!”

 

“Leorio, Leorio,” I crouch down to face him, gently rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, “Leorio.”

 

His face is crinkled up, he’s barely holding back tears, and I expect him to ease into my touch. But instead he jolts and stands up, upsetting my balance.

 

“Leorio?” I look up at him.

 

“I’m gonna bury her. If I can’t save her I’m gonna properly put her to rest,” he looks straight ahead.

 

“Leorio you don't know if that’s what she wanted,” I still look up.

 

He sucks in a sob and his voice breaks, “Well what do YOU fucking suggest?!” he wildly gestures around himself, he’s still not looking at me.

 

I rise up to face him again, bringing his outstretched arms to his chest with my hands. Planting a light kiss on one of his palms, I say, “Leorio, this isn’t your fault. There’s nothing you could’ve done.”

 

Leorio’s crying now, “Than, than what… what do I do.”

 

“For now we should just rest. In the morning we can search the house and see if she has a will. But please, just rest for now.”

 

He takes a minute to answer, and by the time he does his face has turned to a blank kind of sadness, “Okay.”

 

~~~

 

I look up. I look up at the house. The old woman’s house. There’s no walls. The ceiling is held up by the staircase. _The staircase…_

 

I look up at the staircase. It’s slick with gore and crawling with insects. Like her.. she’s slick with gore and crawling with insects. The old woman.

 

Suddenly Leorio is crouched next to her, putting his hand on her heart. _Honey, no, you’ll get blood on your shirt._ He wasn’t there before. He was there before.

 

I look to my left and right. I look to my left and right at the lush, emerald greenery outside. I want to get outside before the crimson leaking from the stairs and the body infects my home, my lush, emerald, home. Before the bugs kill the forest.

 

But the door is locked. I slip on scarlet liquid I realize is coming from my own eyes as I turn to fumble with the handle. I’m soiling the beautiful hardwood.

 

There are no walls, but the door is locked, so I cannot escape. I cannot escape this blood red hell. _Leorio, help me with the lock_ , I say but do not say. Again _Leorio HELP ME WITH THE LOCK_ , but I emanate barely a whisper.

 

I turn to him and the woman. Him and the man. There was never a woman. There was a woman but she is no more. There was never a woman.

 

The body Leorio is crouching over, has been crouching over, belongs to a man. He is there and visible and I cannot see him. There is also no house, no door, no soiled hardwood. My bloody tears like to refract out what I don't know.

 

The forest is gone. _Oh my god the forest is gone_. The forest is gone and replaced with a washed out, desolate landscape. The world is raining my scarlet tears.

 

Leorio cries into the shirt of the man. He weeps the loss of someone important. He weeps the loss of a friend, a lover. _I’m your someone important, your friend, your lover_. But the man is gone, inexplicably passed.

 

~~~

 

I jolt awake, grasping at the disused sheets of the guest room we decided to sleep in, my heart beating marathons. I grope around in the darkness, and as soon as I confirm Leorio is still there, I stumble out the bedroom door. I falter through the halls until I find a bathroom, and then slap at the wall until the light flips on. Staring at at my scarlet, crying eyes in the mirror, I double over into the sink basin, body convulsing with sobs. I’ve already forgotten my nightmare, but it doesn’t matter. I wonder if I weep long enough the room will fill and drown me, and I won't have to face Leorio in his state again.

 

Bile is crawling up my throat, and I vomit into the sink, shuddering. I haven’t had a breakdown like this in a long time, not since… not since… _then_ . Since _then_ I tried to cover everything inside me but rage. But now my rage is gone. My rage is gone and replaced with love and sadness. Now I’m vomiting up love and sadness and I _hate it_ . I can’t stand to to see Leorio so hollow, like _I_ used to be. Leorio isn’t like me. He’s better than me.

 

I cry and retch for too long. I cry and retch until i’m out of tears and there's nothing in my stomach. My scarlet has faded, so I wash my face and head back to the bedroom. I don’t sleep at all, so I try to listen to Leorio’s heartbeat.

 

~~~

 

I’ve been lying awake in the bed for five hours now; it’s 7:23 right now and I woke up at 2:30. I feel… well… I’m not sure. All I know is that I’m sick of doing nothing. Sliding off the bed, I grab my phone and walk out of the room. I switch on my phone flashlight and tiptoe through the halls and down the stairs. The woman’s body is still at the base of the stairs. Neither of us knew what to do with it, so we just left it. I feel horrible about that.

 

I head to the kitchen. It feels weird eating a dead person’s food, but I’m hungry as fuck after vomiting. I crack two eggs over some butter in a pan, watching the eggs solidify. I burn them a little and they taste like shit, but it feels wrong to take anything more.

 

~~~

 

It’s 11:45 now. Since I ate, I’ve been looking for the eyes and a will. I’ve looked in cabinets and under beds. In closets and dressers. I’m covered in dust and cobwebs, but I haven’t found anything.

 

Leorio has gotten up, but he hasn’t said anything to me. He’s only absentmindedly opened closets and cabinets, not _really_ looking. I’m scared for him.

 

I decide this is useless. I’m never gonna find anything without help.

 

“Leorio, I’m gonna go to the nearest town to find someone who can help us, don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone,” I yell across the house. All I get for a reply is a muffled grunt. Good enough.

 

I go out the front door, climb into the car, and head off. (We left the keys in the car)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so! The nightmare segment is one of my favorite things ive ever written so im exited to have shared it \\(>0<)/  
> I should probably mention that the vauge man in it was intended to be pietro (if you dont who that is go watch 1999!!! Hes only in the 7th ep i think) but you can interpret that however you want really ^0^ !!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I move my hand from his shoulder to his cheek, caressing, “Leorio I should be mad at you.”
> 
>  
> 
> “Go ahead, I get it, I fucked up.”
> 
>  
> 
> “I should be mad, you did something stupid and hurt yourself,” I lean into him. I am a bit mad, actually, but he needs love right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! I finally finished this! This time the pov alternates between the two of them, starting with leorio. Theres a ~~~ between each pov switch
> 
> Xoxoxoxo hope you enjoy

I can’t think of anything but her. I feel like a failure, I’ve failed, so why should I even keep trying. Why shouldn’t I just rot in this house with her.

 

“Leorio, I’m gonna go to the nearest town to find someone who can help us, don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone,” Kurapika yells across the house. I reply with a grunt.

 

Kurapika. They’re why I shouldn’t rot. I have to do _something_.

 

~~~

 

I drive for about 20 minutes. Fortunately, it calms my nerves. I park the car in front of an old tavern; it’s noon and still closed. I wander the streets almost aimlessly. It’s really hot, so I can understand why there aren’t many people out.

 

Finally I come across someone who looks reasonably nice. I walk up to him and ask, “Hello, sir, do you know the old woman who lives in the big house twenty minutes west from here?”

 

“Yeah I do, what about her?” He stops walking to speak to me.

 

“Well, me and my husband came here to pay her a visit and we found that she had unfortunately fallen down the stairs and died.”

 

“Oh no…” he fills his voice with feigned worry.

 

“We’ve been looking around the house to find a will but we haven’t had any luck, would you mind helping us?”

 

“Oh of course not! Just let me put my dog up,” I finally notice the small lap dog hiding behind his leg.

 

“I’ll walk with you.”

 

~~~

 

I’m scouring the house with my nen. I’ve never used this much at once, and in such a wide area. I finally fully understand how much aura is tied to life force. I feel so weak, and I’m sweating profusely.

 

But I have to find a will, for her. And I have to find the eyes, for them.

 

~~~

 

“So what’s your name anyway.”

 

The guy, he told me his name was Andrew, put up his dog and is now riding in the passenger seat as I drive back to the house.

 

“Kurapika,” I’m trying to avoid small talk. It’s not working very well.

 

~~~

 

What would happen if I didn’t find the eyes. What would happen if I failed _again_. What would happen if I disappointed Kurapika.

 

I can’t disappoint them. They’d probably get mad at me and leave me. They’d ghost me again, with spiteful intention this time. I’d never get to see their beautiful face and their beautiful eyes ever again. I’d never get to hold them when they’re panicked ever again. I’d never get to share a peaceful moment of intimacy with them _ever again_.

 

~~~

 

This guy is so fucking annoying.

 

~~~

 

I found them. I found the eyes and the will.

 

The eyes are in a plexiglass box filled with fluid, inside another smallish wooden box. The will is a sheet of notebook paper taped to the top of the box. They’re kept under a floorboard in the master bedroom.

 

I peel off the tape and skim over the will. Most of it is unimportant to me, but I finally come to what I’m looking for.

 

I struggle to read the loopy cursive handwriting in all my hysteria. The fancy script feels like it’s curling off the page and stabbing all over my body. The pins and needles, accompanied by a chilling numbness, travel up my limbs, taking away all my strength. I topple to the left. The paper falls out of my hands, and I watch as it flutters to the dusty ground.

 

I can't stand this.

 

~~~

 

“Where do you live?” Andrew asks.

 

“Whale Island,” I say

 

“Where is that?”

 

“Why do you need to know,” I growl, jerking the steering wheel so his arm bangs against the car door. It's only been five minutes. This is going to be the longest 20 minutes of my life.

 

~~~

 

I recovered my strength and managed to read the will. I'm now stumbling down the main stairs, eyes in hand.

 

Setting them down on a side table in the front room, I turn to her. I turn to what is, at this point in my life, the embodiment of failure. I let out a breath and pick up her body, carrying it to the back porch.

 

I set her down again at the outside threshold of the door and step out onto the lawn. The sun blares straight above me, making me squint. I walk across the rolling mounds of her huge yard, heading towards what looks like a tool shed.

 

The shed is relatively small, it's corrugated metal roof collapsing in on itself. I place my hand on the metal handle of the broken glass door, pulling back at the heat. When I open it, shards of glass come dislodged, tumbling to my feet, where they break into more pieces.

 

I walk in, eyes scanning over the horde of stuff kept inside. Pushing past cobwebs, I spot what I need behind a large bag of soil. I shove aside the bag with my foot and grab the shovel.

 

~~~

 

“What’s your husband like?”

 

God I cannot stand small talk, “He’s 6’4” and very sexy. Now can you shut the hell up until we get there,” I’m fucking fuming at this point.

 

“Jesus, okay.”

 

~~~

 

I stare blankly out at the front lawn from the porch, waiting for Kurapika to come back. I’ve done it. I’ve found the eyes and buried the woman (she said in her will that she wanted to be buried next to a rose bush in the back without a funeral). I’ve done it.

 

The dappled light streaming through the trees reflects up from the red water of the broken fountain, giving the shady yard a grim ambiance. In my silence, I finally notice the yard smells horrible. It's filled with the musk of mosquito-ridden stagnant water and animal shit. There's a wasps’ nest to my right.

 

I scoot to my left, scraping my hand on the splintered wood of the porch. I sigh.

 

Where are they. Where is Kurapika.

 

~~~

 

We approach the house. Fucking finally.

 

My head swirls with insults and swears directed at Andrew until I notice something. I squint in the direction of the front porch. _What the hell is Leorio doing on the porch_ . I look closer. He's holding something. A clear box with… eyes inside. A clear box with red eyes suspended in clear liquid inside. _He found the eyes…_

 

“Andrew stay in the car I'm going to talk to him _alone,_ ” I growl the last word, and climb out of the car before I get a response.

 

I notice more and more as I walk closer to Leorio. He's sweaty and covered in dirt and has the remnants of a nosebleed smeared on his upper lip. He shakes slightly as he breathes, leaning against the door, tears in the corners of his eyes.

 

“Leorio, what are you doing?” my voice shakes, globs of concern dripping off my psyche.

 

He weakly looks up at me, a certain dryness to his words “I did what you wanted.”

 

“I didn’t ask you to… do this to yourself.”

 

“I got what you wanted. Why do _I_ matter,” he grimaces.

 

I pause and consider. Yes I wanted the eyes. I wanted them very badly. In the past I would have given my own life, along with anyone else's, to obtain them. But that's the past. I've gotten past my suicidal mindset, and I have it in me to care more for a living person than a pair of long dead eyeballs. The eyes are still unendingly important to me, but not at the expense of someone I love.

 

~~~

 

Kurapika walks closer toward me. I look down and place my hand over my eyes as they crouch and put their hand on my shoulder.

 

“Leorio, you matter more than the eyes,” they tap the box, “maybe I loved whoever that was when they were alive, I have no way to know, but you're alive right now and I love you right now.”

 

I sniffle

 

“Don't overexert yourself like that. If you get yourself killed who'll be there for me?”

 

“I… I didn't want you to disappoint you.”

 

“Leorio I told you not to do anything stupid, not doing anything stupid won't dissapoint me.”

 

~~~

 

I move my hand from his shoulder to his cheek, caressing, “Leorio I should be mad at you.”

 

“Go ahead, I get it, I fucked up.”

 

“I should be mad, you did something stupid and hurt yourself,” I lean into him. I am a bit mad, actually, but he needs love right now.

 

His lips twist into a scowl, pushing me away.

 

~~~

 

Sighing through my scowl, I say, “Then BE mad at me,” I wrap my arms around myself, “I was… I was afraid you’d leave me.”

 

“Leorio, why would I do that?”

 

“Well you’ve done it before! I called you almost every day, you know. I didn’t even know if you were alive or not. Any day you could’ve gotten shot and died and I would’ve never fucking known.”

 

“I know, and I hate myself for that,” Kurapika raises their hand to my cheek again, “whether you understand or not, I wanted to answer your calls, but I just couldn’t make myself do it.”

 

~~~

 

I continue, “I felt like if I answered you would get involved in all the horrible shit I was doing.”

 

“I understand, but I still wish you would’ve answered at least once, It was in the time we were apart that I came to terms with the fact that I loved you. It hurt a lot.”

 

“I know, me too. I really, really wanted to see you, but I didn’t want to drag you into my mess.”

 

~~~

 

I start crying, rubbing my face against Kurapika’s hand for comfort. Looping my arms around their neck, I say, “Pika, I love you.”

 

They’re crying a little too, holding my face between their hands, “I love you too Leorio,” they grin, “now why don’t we head out of here, we can take the eyes and have the guy I brought from town deal with the rest of the will.”

 

“That sounds good,” after saying this, I lean in and kiss Kurapika.

 

~~~

 

Leorio leans in and kisses me. I let him wrap himself around me, and I kiss him back.

 

I let myself ease into his warmth, and just enjoy the moment. Soon we’ll be away from here and able to sleep in a home without the smell of death. I smile into Leorio’s lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this and sorry for the wait! Im just now realizing posting the second chapter like a day after the first may have been setting up false expectations lol. Im a pretty slow writer and ive also been really invested in playing minecraft recently

**Author's Note:**

> O.o i wonder what all the red at the ladys house means o.O


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